Darkness clung to me like wet tar, thick and suffocating, dragging me back into that room—the one where the air tasted like metal and fear. I could hear him before I saw him. Footsteps. Slow. Certain. His voice followed, low and dangerous, and then a hand closed around my arm, squeezing until my bones felt like they might splinter under the pressure. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Couldn't scream. Every doorway I reached for dissolved into shadow before I could get there, like the dark was swallowing every escape I had—
Then something flickered. A thin sliver of gold cut through the black. Another followed.
Light cracked the nightmare open, splitting it apart, and I gasped as I woke, my heart slamming against my ribs like it was trying to break free. For a second, I didn't know where I was. Everything felt wrong—too quiet, too still. But then I noticed the weight of the blankets, soft and warm instead of scratchy and damp. The air smelled clean, like detergent instead of mildew. A fan hummed gently somewhere nearby.
Not there. You're safe. I blinked slowly, grounding myself in the room Bear said was mine. Sunlight poured through the window, turning everything soft and gold. The comforter beneath me was thick and fluffy, the kind that felt like it could swallow you whole if you let it. A small lamp sat on the nightstand, its pull-chain shaped like a goofy little bear. It was… nice. Too nice, almost. But my chest loosened anyway, just a little.
At the foot of the bed sat a pile of neatly folded clothes. A crooked sticky note rested on top.
These'll do until we get you your own stuff. –Bear
P.S. They're Ace's. Sorry in advance.
A quiet snort slipped out before I could stop it. That explained a lot. I grabbed the top shirt and pulled it over my head. It swallowed me instantly, big enough for at least three versions of me. The sweatpants weren't much better, sliding down my hips like they were actively trying to escape. But they were soft and clean. They didn't smell like smoke or sweat or anything bad. That alone made them perfect.
I shuffled toward the attached bathroom, only to immediately regret the decision when my ankle wobbled. I pinwheeled, catching myself on the doorframe before gravity could win.
"Okay," I muttered under my breath. "Walking is optional. Gravity is violent. Got it."
The bathroom was bright, almost blinding compared to what I was used to—and it smelled faintly like lemons. I stared at the shower for a second like it might attack me first, then turned the handle.
Bad idea.
Water blasted out like a fire hose, ricocheting off the wall and straight into my face.
I sputtered, stumbling back. "Perfect. Exactly what I wanted."
It took a few tries, fine, more than a few, but eventually I figured it out. The water warmed, the pressure evened out, and when I stepped under it, the heat sank into my skin, easing some of the constant ache in my bruises. I washed my hair carefully, blinking through the water, half-expecting something to go wrong again.
But it didn't.
For once… it just worked.
By the time I stepped out, wrapped in a towel that felt like a cloud, something inside me had settled. Not gone, never gone, but quieter.
I limped back into the room, adjusting the sling on my arm with a frown. "Stupid thing…"
A knock sounded at the door, two soft taps. I froze. My heartbeat jumped before I could stop it, instinct kicking in fast and sharp. For a second, I couldn't move. Then I forced myself to breathe. This wasn't that place.
Different people. Different rules.
"Uh… come in?" My voice came out thin, like it wasn't used to being heard.
The door opened slowly, and an older biker stepped in first. His hair was streaked with silver, his expression calm and steady, and he wore a leather vest over a faded blue shirt. A woman followed close behind him, her eyes bright and her smile easy, a patch on her vest reading RN. His said DOC.
Doc's gaze softened when it landed on me. "You must be Sunny."
RN took one look at me and grinned. "Oh, she's adorable. And absolutely drowning in Ace's clothes."
Heat rushed up my neck. "They're… cozy."
Doc chuckled, shaking his head. "That's one way to put it."
RN stepped closer, her movements slow and deliberate, giving me time to adjust. "Mind if we take a look at that elbow? Bear wants to make sure we don't have to haul you back to the hospital." Her voice was warm, gentle, no edge, no impatience. Just… kindness. I nodded.
Doc carefully checked the sling and my arm, his touch light but sure. He hummed under his breath, like he was thinking through something. "You're healing better than expected," he said finally. "You can take the sling off today, but take it easy. No heroics."
RN smiled. "And no lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Or Ace. He's about the same weight, honestly."
A laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it. They both lit up like that had been the goal all along. Together, they helped me stand. RN slid her arm gently under mine while Doc steadied my other side, careful not to crowd me.
"How about we get you downstairs?" Doc suggested. "Bear's waiting, and he's in full Worried Dad mode."
RN snorted. "Which, around here, is basically a medical emergency."
They guided me toward the hallway, steady and patient, never rushing me, never pulling too hard. And as I walked between them, something strange settled in my chest. Something new, and I liked them.
They didn't look at me like I was broken. Didn't talk to me like I was a problem to solve or something to deal with. No one grabbed too tight. No one snapped or sighed or made me feel like I was in the way.
For the first time in a long, long time…
…I felt safe walking beside adults.